A-Z Music Glossary & Dictionary

The rare ability to identify or recreate a given musical note without needing a reference tone.

A musical sign (sharp ♯, flat ♭, natural ♮) indicating a momentary alteration of a pitch outside the key signature.

Attack, Decay, Sustain, Release — the four parameters defining how a sound's amplitude evolves over time in audio synthesis.

A brisk, lively, and fast musical tempo, typically ranging between 120 and 156 Beats Per Minute (BPM).

Sound generation using analog electronic circuitry (oscillators, filters, envelopes) rather than digital sampling.

A broken chord where the individual notes are played in succession rather than simultaneously.

Music that lacks a central key, tonal center, or harmonic hierarchy.

A segment of time defined by a given number of beats, demarcated by vertical bar lines on a musical staff.

The standard unit for measuring tempo, indicating how many quarter-note beats occur in one minute.

A contrasting section in song structure that connects the verse and chorus, introducing new harmonic and melodic content.

A harmonic sequence of two or more chords that concludes a phrase, section, or piece of music (e.g., Authentic, Plagal, Half Cadence).

A device clamped onto the fretboard of a stringed instrument to shorten the playable string length and raise the pitch.

Any harmonic set of three or more distinct pitches sounded simultaneously.

A succession of chords played in sequence that forms the harmonic foundation of a song.

A scale comprising all twelve pitches of the equal-tempered octave, spaced evenly in semitones.

A geometric representation of the relationships among the twelve tones of the chromatic scale, key signatures, and relative major/minor keys.

Pertaining to scale degrees or chords derived strictly from a standard seven-note major or minor scale without accidentals.

A minor triad with a flattened fifth degree (Root - ♭3 - ♭5), creating a tense, unstable harmonic sound.

The second mode of the major scale (Root - 2 - ♭3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - ♭7), characterized by its dark yet uplifted jazz-minor quality.

The variation in loudness between notes or phrases in music, annotated from Pianissimo (pp) to Fortissimo (ff).

The process of developing a musician's ability to identify pitches, intervals, chords, and rhythms purely by hearing.

A tuning system in which the octave is divided into twelve equal logarithmic semitones.

An algorithm that converts a time-domain audio signal into its constituent frequency spectrum, used in digital tuners.

The wooden surface on the neck of a guitar, bass, or ukulele inlaid with metal frets to define pitches.

The lowest frequency produced by a vibrating harmonic sound source, determining its perceived pitch.

A continuous, smooth glide from one pitch to another across intermediate notes.

An extra, unessential note printed in smaller type used to ornament a main melodic pitch.

An overtone frequency that is an integer multiple of the fundamental frequency.

The component at the top of a guitar neck holding the tuning pegs and machine heads.

The SI unit of frequency, equal to one cycle per second. Standard concert pitch A4 is set to 440 Hz.

The pitch distance between two musical tones, measured in semitones or scale degrees (e.g., Perfect 5th, Major 3rd).

A rearrangement of the notes in a chord such that a pitch other than the root occupies the lowest bass note.

The first mode of the major scale, identical to the standard diatonic major scale.

The arrangement of sharp or flat symbols posted on a musical staff to dictate the primary scale of a composition.

An electronic oscillator operating below 20 Hz used to modulate parameters like pitch (vibrato) or cutoff (tremolo) in synthesizers.

The fourth mode of the major scale, distinguished by its raised fourth scale degree (Root - 2 - 3 - ♯4 - 5 - 6 - 7).

A diatonic scale constructed with the step pattern: Whole - Whole - Half - Whole - Whole - Whole - Half.

A device or software clock that produces steady, audible clicks at a set tempo to aid musical practice.

A standardized digital protocol allowing electronic musical instruments, controllers, and computers to communicate.

The fifth mode of the major scale, featuring a flattened seventh degree (Root - 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 6 - ♭7).

The harmonic practice of borrowing chords from a parallel mode or minor scale key.

The natural minor scale (Aeolian mode), containing scale degrees: Root - 2 - ♭3 - 4 - 5 - ♭6 - ♭7.

Half the sampling rate of a discrete signal processing system, defining the highest reproducible audio frequency.

The interval between one musical pitch and another with double or half its frequency (12 semitones).

Any resonant frequency higher than the fundamental pitch of a musical sound.

A five-note musical scale widely used in blues, rock, folk, and traditional world music.

Music consisting of two or more independent melodic lines sounding simultaneously.

A synthesis technique involving varying the duty cycle of a square waveform to create rich, chorused timbres.

The ability to identify or recreate a musical note by comparing it to a known reference pitch.

The boosting of frequencies around a filter's cutoff point in a synthesizer.

A method of designating chords using Roman numerals to denote their scale degree and harmonic function.

The number of audio samples recorded or played per second, typically 44.1 kHz or 48 kHz.

The smallest pitch interval commonly used in Western music (1/12th of an octave).

The division of a primary beat into smaller rhythmic units (e.g., eighth notes, triplets, sixteenths).

A foot pedal on a piano or synth that lifts damper felts, allowing played notes to ring freely.

A disturbance or interruption of the regular flow of rhythm by stressing off-beats or weak beats.

The speed or pace of a musical piece, measured in Beats Per Minute (BPM) or specified with Italian terms.

The distinct quality or tone color of a sound that distinguishes different instruments playing the same pitch.

The process of shifting a collection of notes or a song up or down in pitch by a constant interval.

A three-note chord consisting of a root note, a third, and a fifth.

A MIDI parameter representing how hard or fast a key or drum pad is struck, controlling volume and timbre.

A regular, pulsating fluctuation of pitch used to add warmth and expressiveness to a note.

The principle of linear motion between individual harmonic parts or chord voices to create smooth transitions.

A high-performance JavaScript system for processing and synthesizing audio natively in web browsers.

A six-note symmetrical scale comprised entirely of whole steps (2 semitones).